Judith 14

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Judith said, 'Listen to me, brothers. Take this head and hang it on your battlements.	1 Then Judith said to all the people: “Hear me, brothers. Suspend this head over our walls.
2 When morning comes and the sun is up, let every man take his arms and every able-bodied man leavethe town. Appoint a leader for them, as if you meant to march down to the plain against the Assyrian advancedpost. But you must not do this.	2 And, as soon as the sun rises, let everyone take up his weapons and go out to attack, not going down all the way, but only to seem as if making an assault.
3 The Assyrians wil gather up their equipment, make for their camp and wake up their commanders; theyin turn will rush to the tent of Holofernes and not be able to find him. They will then be seized with panic and fleeat your advance.	3 Then the scouts will have to hurry to awaken their leader for the fight.
4 Al you and the others who live in the territory of Israel wil have to do is to give chase and slaughterthem as they retreat.	4 And when their commanders rush into the tabernacle of Holofernes, and they find his headless body wallowing in his blood, fear will fall over them.
5 'But before you do this, cal me Achior the Ammonite, for him to see and identify the man who held theHouse of Israel in contempt, the man who sent him to us as someone already doomed to die.'	5 And when you realize that they are fleeing, go after them in security, for the Lord will crush them under your feet.”
6 So they had Achior brought from Uzziah's house. No sooner had he arrived and seen the head ofHolofernes held by a member of the people's assembly than he fel on his face in a faint.	6 Then Achior, seeing the power that the God of Israel had wrought, left behind the rituals of the Gentiles. He believed in God, and he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, and he was placed among the people of Israel, and so were all the succession of his kindred, even until this present day.
7 They lifted him up. He then threw himself at Judith's feet and, prostrate before her, exclaimed: May yoube blessed in al the tents of Judah and in every nation; those who hear your name wil be seized with dread!	7 And soon, at the rising of day, they suspended the head of Holofernes above the walls, and every man took up his weapons, and they went out with a great uproar and howling.
8 'Now tel me everything that you have done in these past few days.' And surrounded by the people,Judith told him everything she had done from the day she left Bethulia to the moment when she was speaking.	8 When the scouts saw this, they rushed to the tent of Holofernes.
9 When she came to the end, the people cheered at the top of their voices until the town echoed.	9 Moreover, those who were in the tent came and made a loud noise before the entrance to the bedchamber, hoping to awaken him by an attempt at skillful noise-making, not by intruding on him, so that Holofernes might be roused from sleep.
10 Achior, recognising al that the God of Israel had done, believed ardently in him and, acceptingcircumcision, was permanently incorporated into the House of Israel.	10 For no one dared to knock, or to open and enter, the bedchamber of the powerful leader of the Assyrians.
11 At daybreak they hung the head of Holofernes on the ramparts. Every man took his arms and they alwent out in groups to the slopes of the mountain.	11 But when his commanders and tribunes had arrived, with all the chiefs of the army of the king of the Assyrians, they said to the chamberlains:
12 Seeing this, the Assyrians sent word to their leaders, who in turn reported to the generals, thecaptains of thousands and al the other officers;	12 “Enter and awaken him, for the mice have come out of their holes, intending to challenge us to fight.”
13 and these in their turn reported to the tent of Holofernes. 'Rouse our master,' they said to his major-domo, 'these slaves have dared to march down on us to attack -- and to be wiped out to a man!'	13 Then Vagao, entering his bedchamber, stood before the curtain, and he made a clapping noise with his hands. For he suspected that he was sleeping with Judith.
14 Bagoas went inside and struck the curtain dividing the tent, thinking that Holofernes was sleeping withJudith.	14 But when, with attentiveness, he perceived no motion of anyone reclining, he approached the curtain. And lifting it up, he saw the dead body of Holofernes, without a head, lying on the ground, soaked in his own blood. He cried out with a loud voice and weeping, and he tore his garments.
15 But as no one seemed to hear, he drew the curtain and went into the bedroom, to find him throwndown dead on the threshold, with his head cut off.	15 And he entered the tent of Judith and did not find her. And he ran out to the people,
16 He gave a great shout, wept, sobbed, shrieked and rent his clothes.	16 and he said: “One Hebrew woman has caused confusion in the house of Nebuchadnezzar the king. For behold, Holofernes lies on the ground, and his head is not with him.”
17 He then went into the tent which Judith had occupied and could not find her either. Then, rushing outto the men, he shouted,	17 Now when the leaders of the army of the Assyrians had heard this, they all tore their garments, and an intolerable fear and trembling fell over them, and their minds were greatly disturbed.
18 'The slaves have rebel ed! A single Hebrew woman has brought shame on the House ofNebuchadnezzar. Holofernes is lying dead on the ground, without his head!'	18 And there was an unprecedented outcry in the midst of their camp.
19 When they heard this, the leaders of the Assyrian army tore their tunics in consternation, and thecamp rang with their wild cries and their shouting.